Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-15
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Interstate Commerce Bill Passes
the Senate by Vote OF Forty
three TO Fifteen.
The House Considers Several Conference
Reports and Passes Number
of Pension Bills.
XLIX CONGRESS.
THE SENATE.

from the conference committee on the
bill making an annual apr priation to
provide arms and equipments for the mill
tia, made report reducing the appropri-
alton, from Sc, 900, 900 to 81, 100000, which
was agreed to.
The senate then resumed consideration
of the interstate commerce bill, and was
addressed by Mr.. Hoar. The pending
legislation, he said, was the result of q
popular movement " hich had his hearty
sympathy and official support from
the beginning so far as
it was in favor of cheap
transportation and of regulating the con-
duct Of great railroads in those things
which affect the commerce of the people
He was willing to go with the authors
and trainers of this bill so far as they had
gone il the protection of the Interstate
trade of the country, but he objected to
two features of the conference report be-
cause he regarded these features as
an attempt to strike down healthy COM
petition, and because be regarded them
as calculated to increase and not to di-
minish the burdens which the railroads
already laid on the commerce of the
country. II this legislation should be de-
feated those gentlemen would be respon-
sIble for its defeat who would not have 1t
do all good which the bill could accom-
plish unless they were also permitted to
make it do what was Enthusiastically and
purely evil. He denied that the opposi-
ton to the conference report came from
railroad managers. Itcame from men who
were alarmed lest under its operations
the rates at which they were now able to
do large and profitable branch business
would be raised TO ruin heir business.
He asserted tDat this country had the
best, cheapest and most convenient rail
road service n the face OF the globe He
gave figures showing the magnitude of
the foreign trade of Boston, and said
that his objection to the fourth and
fifth sections of the bill was that the
one, the long and short-haul section,
would destroy the cheRpness of trauspOr-
tatiOn on which that commerce depend
ed; and the other, the pooling section,
would lessen the SteGdiness OF business
by putting it out of the power OF the rail-
roads to prevent railroad wars, and that
constant fluctuation which was the de-
struction all trade. He favored the re-
committal of the bill.
Mr.. Sherman said he desired 10 state
his reasons for the vote he would give on
this bill. He believed that no
bill Of it's importance had
ever had such general
support, not only among the people, but
in both houses of congress. The neCes-
sity for its passage WIS great, and W0s
made greater by the recent decision of
the supreme court. Whatever might
have been the differences of opinion in
the past there was now concurrent SEN
t1ment among all classes of people strong
" represented in both houses of congress
that there should be some general
legislation in regard to inter
state commerce. lie was free
to say that if his vote on the bill
would tend TO defeat its passage at this
session he would differ from the way he
intended to vote, but there WAS no such
exlgency. The bill was in such an adj
vsnced state of consideration that with
out question il would pass at the pres
ent session in some form or other. If the
Dill was recommitted there would be sure
to be action o. it. There
was scarcely a doubt but
that the conference committee would
report back. There was such pressure
of public opinion behind it that no con-
ference committee could possibly prevent
it's passage. Under these circumstances
he should vote to recommit the same con-
ferees with Instructions to have them
look over the disputed points and see
whether or not they can frame
such provisions as would enable
the senate aud representatives, to vote
for the bill freely without any doubt as to
the effect of any CT its provisions. That
was the view which he took of the bill in
Its genersl form. He thought there was
great danger that the section as to long
and short hauls would destroy the export
trade of the country. It might, for iu-
stance, divert the tea trade, which finds its
course from Asia to Europe via the trans
continental railroads to other routes,
like the Suez, Cape Horn, Pan
anna or Canadian routes. So great
was the competition for that trade, it
could be diverted even by pebble, much. ]
more by such 8 great restriction as the
bill proposed.
Mr. Edmunds-What general provision
would you suggest?
Mr.. Sherman am not prepared to say4
what words l would suggest so as TOT
make provision for the export
trade, but nv general idea is
that | would make determinations
in favor of foreign trade. / am afraid
and believe that the immediate effect of
this bill will be great disappointment TO
all. / fear that the wide-reaching in
fuence of this section will create a prof.
found discomfort in the very region rep
resented by the gentleman who earnestly
advocates the bill That's my opinion.
/ may be mistaken. / have no narrow
views about the matter.
Mr.. Edmunds spoke in favor OF the
conference report. He claimed that as
to short and long-hsul the conference
committee had merely changed the
phraseology of the bill as passed by the
senate, but had not changed its suostsn-
tial tenor or effect. He defended
also the section against pooling
If 1t should be shown that the reign
trade of Boston was in some way injured,
or hampered, or diminished, or crippled
by the effect OF this bill, who would be
more ready than the senate to rectify the
trouble? But the same kind OF forebod-
ings had always appeared when, Yer
in this or any other country the
legislative power had been appealed
TO to reduce admitted evils as applied to
Some years ago when the
legislature OF Iowa PASSED the first gran
yer net the direst caiamities had been pre-